EE Airplane Stability and Control Liu Yan -- lunarliuyan@nwpu.edu.cn ‘School of Aeronautics, NPU Total Longitudinal Stability Assume the thrust vector passes through CG. The total pitching moment coefficient: Cm = Cow + Cp + Cme = Crw¥a + Cmacw + Cmp — CreneVi differentiate with C, dCm (dC a de\ _ =» yeas) = 1-77) ndreg — Xac dGn_. _. ,(dlm\ _ a de\ —> , Keg ~Fae + (SE Farce 1a) nl CG moves forward, fogW, ACm/dC,L More stable CG moves aft, Fog, dCn/dC, 7 Less stable dCn/dC, < 0 stable Movement of CG due to loading changes has a strong influence on the longitudinal static stability of the airplane. Neutral Point (CG moves forward CG moves aft Tab, dela CG location where dC /dC,=0 Reh dCy/AC More stable (Neutral stable) Less stable —Neutral Point NoXegs The static longitudinal stability at any CG location can be expressed as dCn © The incremental wing lift due to a change in AOA acts at the wing aerodynamic center. * The incremental lift of the complete airplane due to a change in AOA acts through the neutral point. * The neutral point is, in essence, the a.c. of the complete aircraft. The static margin, describe the level of stick-fixed longitudinal static stability of the airplane Hp = No — %, (2) In = No — Xeg = —\ Ge C1) pie Positive stableStick-Fixed Se Dereon Push \\ |] 4 pull if DX wore up Control system Linkage Problem 1 (3.12) A canard aircraft has the following data: ay = 0.1/deg, a, = 0.08/deg, Cmacw = —0.02, Xy = —0.5 Cmace = —0.015, Cmy = 0.1C,, Se = 0.38, & = 0.36 Determine the distance between the canard aerodynamic center and the center of gravity in terms of € for a static margin of 0.1. Ignore upwash/downwash effects for canard and wing. Clue: Canard is ahead of wing.Solution dm — _ . (dCm a, Sele den _ gy (Mm) Me Sele dc, ** (2 tray SE B -0.5+01408- oss =-0.1 Ie 0.8-0.3-£=03 é Be I, = 1.252 Problem 2 (3.9) The aerodynamic center (a.c.) of wing-fuselage is located at 0.2mac, and the center of gravity is at 0.25 mac. Using the following data, determine the horizontal tail area to give a minimum static margin of 0.08 mac. Cp = 0.1C,, dy = 0.1/deg, a, = 0.08/deg £=0.45a, l)/Z = 2.5, m = 0.95, S$ = 25m? Clue: minimum static margin of 0.08 mac means dC,/dC, < —0.08.Solution an a, z+ (4m) ae (,_ 22), Sele cg Fac + \ aC, 6G, (1 aa) Se = —Hy = -0.08 S > 005 +01-08-055-%-0.95-2.5 = -0.08 Se > 0.15 ~ 1.045-¥ = -0.08 > 0.23 S= T5455 » S_ = 5.5024m? Longitudinal Control Aircraft should be capable of flying at any desired AOA within its aerodynamic limits. The expression for equilibrium lift coefficient Cnacy- Cg + a, From this equation, options for longitudinal control * Control of wing camber, Cmacw * Center of gravity shift, xcg * Tail/Canard Control, C,¢Control of wing camber Cmacyw iS a function of wing camber, can be altered by deploying either leading- or trailing-edge flap. LO Gta Symmetric camber Positive camber Flap deflect downward Cc > 0 Negative camber Flap deflect upward Usually used on tailless or close-coupled canard aircraft. elevator + aileron= elevon For aircraft with H-tails, flap deflection alters the downwash field at H-tail, i.e., the longitudinal stability level.Control of CG Cmacw = Emp + CueVime CG, 5 Xeg — Xac The equilibrium lift coefficient decreases and the level of static stability increases as c.g. moves forward or a.c. moves rearward. “Concorde” uses this method to lower C,, partially offset the rearward lower n, movement of a.c. in lower maneuverability transonic/supersonic region. subsonic > supersonic ee Xac=G& — Xac = ZF a Supersonic > subsonic This method is mechanically complex and will affects the pilot’s feel of the airplane.Tail/Canard Control Most powerful and widely used longitudinal control method . * Elevator * All-movable horizontal tail * Canard The term "canard" arose from the appearance of the Santos-Dumont 14-bis, of 1906, which was said to be reminiscent of a duck (canard in French) with its neck stretched out in flightElevator control Elevator is a small flap attached at the trailing edge of horizontal tail. _——— Within the permissible range: * Elevator deflect downward +, C1, 1, nose down * Elevator deflect upward -, C,, 1, nose up Deflection of elevator alters ——— J+ the pressure distribution and changes the tail lift. RE Pitching moment equation Cn = Chw%a + Cmacw + Cap — Ci2Vinne effect of elevator deflection on the tail-lift coefficient Cie = Ap, = Op (Gy — ty + ip —€ + 15e) = 4% elevator effectiveness, change in tail AOA per unit, d5- deflection of elevator GmemcGned Crema de\ | i ete Zt (1— =) Fin, _eilcontribution =_ dC, Cy dC, ay\ da, doesn't change. Elevator deflection does not affect the stick-fixed static stability level.Tail Lift for Trim Equilibrium = Trim = Balance For pitch trim wing fuselage tail Gnacw > 0 Cre depends on xcq C,,¢ depends on X¢g Pater nce aa Vane im rai Ly Ee twElevator Angle to Trim Ot (Gy — iy tip —E+745-) 1 = dez/dbp, elevator effectiveness, (tw — bw tte 18e) change in tail AOA per unit deflection of the elevator. Cut elevator deflection for longitudinal trim Ka + Cmacw + Cp — eC — bw +i 2) G, —a,¥n:ty, elevator control effectiveness Cus, oierenite win Gs dbo _ Fat (ACm/AC4) 7 — a /ay(1— de/da Vine _ Cn / ACL) aC, =Cniy Variation of elevator deflection with trim lift coefficient a5, __ (dC m/dC pix _ _ Fey = No aC, Cnb_ Coe The elevator deflection required to trim a given lift coefficient directly depends on For a statically stable airplane the level of stick-fixed static stability. d6,/dC, <0 Variation of the elevator deflection with trim-lift coefficientSe,erim for zero wing lift wha + Cmacw + Cp ~ Ae(Aw ~ tw + i- €) —Cnb_ For Cry = Ce 0 ay Cmacw + Emy.o ~ Ae(Awor — bw +) Cie Mean aerodynamic chord Xeg2 Xegt Xeat No SeminSetrim~V Setrim for C, = 0, i.e. V > cg — No2W/S © Gna) ov If we ignore air compressibility, to keep Cn = 0 Secrim Beg = Nov Seurim = const Keg Nor V1, Setrim + Which one is comfortable for pilots? Reg + The moment caused by the forces acting ae ee on the elevator about its hingeline is ) called hinge moment. C2 Elevator trailing edge goes up > — Hinge moment depends on + Aerodynamic forces acting on the _ Mn = CrarSeCe elevator + distance between hingeline and Cu = Cro + Chat + Crs,Se c.p. of elevator Cha = OCy/Oa, Crs, = OCy/I5_ Control Devices in CockpitStick Force The force applied by pilot on control stick/column to deflect elevator. eh Force F,>0 aN down For mechanically controlled a a aircraft, stick force depends NO ifctubors <0 Ny noseup on hinge moment a sol RestMyde=0 ES n=! Linkage 4>0 | Geating rea Control Surfaces are connected to the control stick/pedal through some kind of a linkage. Aerodynamic Balancing How? The value of hinge-moment + Too low would make the control highly sensitive to small disturbances + Too high would make the controls sluggish to operate. Hinge moment depends on * Aerodynamic forces acting on the elevator + [distance between hingeline and cp. of elevator A careful design of hinge-moment parameters Cia and Cys, is necessary to achieve a proper balance between these two conflicting requirements. — Aerodynamic BalancingSet-back Hingeline Original hingeline cp. of Setback hingeline eee Hingeline moves aft, distance decrease, hinge moment decrease. Horn Balance New cp. Hingeline Original c.p. c.p. moves forward, distance decrease, hinge moment decrease.Internal Balance A modification of the set-back Original hingeline New c.p. hingeline method. Effectiveness of this balance can be increased by sealing the gap a Dear eaet between leading edge of control surface and structure of _—_¢.p. moves forward, distance the airfoil. decrease, hinge moment decrease. Tab ab Tab is much smaller in size compared to the elevator, and is usually deflected in the opposite direction. Although tab is small in size, it has high effectiveness, and always provide just the right amount of balancing as needed.CG moves forward CG location where CG moves aft Kegs dCn/dC.V dCy,/aC,=0 (Neutral stable) Keg, dC /AC, ‘More stable —Neutral Point No Less stable —— — SSS For mechanically controlled aircraft, stick fixed means 5, = Cut = Or (Qy — ty + ie — €) What if the stick is not d¢, a, (,_de\_ : =z, —|—* —(1-— fixed? to=tu~ (Gee) +5 (!~aa) Floating angle For mechanically controlled aircraft, stick free = elevator can float freely under the action of aerodynamic forces until the hinge moment is 0. Cho + Chat Choe | dip a de Geet Cut = Or (dy — iy tip -—€ + 35;) => Sciam Cantar eae cor ‘Cn — dGaN\ Cr de\_ Cha = (a), = wet(E aw Ga) AW Gs, m= (ie), (ie), Cr = Cho + Cnat + Cnsg5e=0 E> Sey =-Stick-free Neutral Point 5 dln Che wu (G2) + ae(1~ga) Pin (t- nrg Typically negative , No < No ae Hh = Nb — Beg = nd Stick Stick free fixed Positive stable Stick Force in Level Flight (rush) 5 When stick force is trimmed by tab, stick force at any other speed can be expressed Re Ws (Ae ( Vv yt _ 5 Cus (dG, free |\Werim (Pull) > a, _ ox. Wns, (4Cn’ Vv (Push)| ay ay Gs \dCz, 2 cd sree Verim For proper operation by pilot, aircraft designer has to ensure ak aw (uly Stable